Panthers' Newton appears to be on track

After a couple months of hand-wringing over Cam Newton's ankle surgery, the quarterback appeared to be ahead of schedule during the second of the Carolina Panthers' 10 OTAs Wednesday.

He did not participate in drills, but Newton spent the entire session on the field. In between chats with coaches, quarterbacks and wideouts, he played light catch. Afterward, he ran through patterns with a small receiver group that included first-round pick Kelvin Benjamin.

"(Cam's) been throwing the ball on the side the last few days," head coach Ron Rivera said. "He says that foot's getting stronger and stronger every day, so we're excited about what's happening for him."

Newton is expected to return for the start of training camp, and the Panthers hope to have Greg Hardy's legal situation settled by then as well.

The defensive end was arrested earlier this month on charges of domestic violence. His next court date is scheduled for June 27, but the team has no plans to hold him out of any offseason workouts.

Like Newton, Hardy did not speak to reporters Wednesday, but fellow defensive end Charles Johnson said, "I don't get into what people do in their personal life. As long as they come to practice and work, that's all I care about."

--Cam Newton and Kelvin Benjamin missed Carolina's Thursday session, but each had good reasons.

The quarterback was in Atlanta to kick off his foundation's 7 vs. 7 tournament, and the receiver was at the NFLPA Rookie Premiere in Los Angeles. Both are expected to be back in Charlotte by Tuesday for the start of Phase Three's second round of practices.

--Charles Godfrey, who has been moved to cornerback after six years at safety, was limited Wednesday. He tore his Achilles in Week 2 last season, but his recovery is going as well as it could.

Godfrey participated in individual and a few group drills, and he even got up to a full sprint a few times. As expected, he is saying all the right things about the position change.

"The nickel is very important in this defense. You have a lot of opportunity to make plays," Godfrey said.

--With 2013 return man Ted Ginn now in Arizona, the Panthers have open spots at both kickoff and punt return. When they worked on punt return Wednesday, cornerback Antoine Cason and receivers De'Andre Presley and Philly Brown were the deep men.

--Sixth-round running back Tyler Gaffney is not able to attend OTAs because he is finishing up his quarter at Stanford.

--Guard Edmund Kugbila, who missed all of 2013 with injuries, was the only player completely held out of Wednesday's practice. He rode the bike for a bit, something he may do through minicamp.

--Cornerback Josh Norman missed Wednesday's session because of a dental appointment. The third-year player has a fight ahead of him to keep a roster spot.

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NFL Team Report - Carolina Panthers - STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

A closer look at the Panthers' picks:

Round 1/28 -- Kelvin Benjamin, WR, 6-5, 240, Florida State

--The Panthers appeased many fans and likely quarterback Cam Newton by adding an offensive weapon. Benjamin comes with plenty of concerns, including work ethic and route running, but Carolina had him near the top of their board the last few weeks.

Round 2/60 -- Kony Ealy, DE, 6-4, 273, Missouri

--General manager Dave Gettleman said he was "shocked" Ealy was still on the board when the Panthers were on the clock at No. 60. Many considered Ealy a first-round pick, and Carolina was more than happy to stop his curious fall even though it wasn't for a position of need.

Round 3/92 -- Trai Turner, G, 6-3, 310, Louisiana State

--Turner is young and raw, but the 20-year-old has a good chance to start come September. Before adding Turner, all the Panthers really had at guard were a few guys coming off injuries.

--Boston struggled at times with the Tar Heels, but the Panthers are confident their staff can help him improve. With former starting safety Charles Godfrey moving to cornerback, Boston could be in line for a healthy number of snaps as a rookie.

Round 5/148 -- Bene' Benwikere, CB, 5-11, 195, San Jose State

--The Panthers are hoping Godfrey, who's coming off a torn Achilles, can compete with Benwikere for the No. 1 nickel back role. Carolina liked Benwikere so much, they gave up their seventh-round pick and switched fifth-round selections with Minnesota to move up 20 spots.

Round 6/204 -- Tyler Gaffney, RB, 5-11, 220, Stanford

--Many think one of the last things the Panthers need is another running back, but they're rightfully concerned about wear and tear on veterans DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. Gaffney tried pursuing a professional baseball career for a year before returning to Stanford's football team in 2013.

PERSONNEL TRACKER

FRANCHISE PLAYER: DE Greg Hardy (tendered at $13.116M; signed tender March 4).